September24, 2008

Washington, DC – House Armed Services Committee
Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) announced that the House and
Senate Armed Services Committees have reached agreement on
the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2009.

The agreement, which is expected to be
considered this week in the House and the Senate,
authorizes $531.4 billion in budget authority for the
Department of Defense (DoD) and the national security
programs of the Department of Energy (DoE). The
bill also authorizes $68.6 billion to support ongoing
military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during fiscal
year 2009.

Chairman Skelton released the following
statement:

“This agreement reflects our bipartisan
commitment to our service members and their families and to a
strong national defense. This defense bill promotes our
main policy objectives: restoring military readiness; taking
care of the troops and their families; increasing focus on
the war in Afghanistan; and improving interagency
cooperation, oversight, and accountability.

“Continuing our effort to restore military
readiness tested by the demands of two wars, the agreement
provides $8.6 billion for the Army and $1.8 billion for the
Marine Corps to repair and replace equipment. The
agreement also provides $800 million for National Guard and
Reserve equipment. To help manage demands placed on our
service members by our military obligations, the agreement
increases the size of the military by 7,000 soldiers, 5,000
Marines, 1,023 sailors, and by 450
airmen.

“To improve the quality of life for our forces
and their families, the agreement provides a 3.9 percent pay
raise for the troops, which is .5 percent more than the
President’s budget request. The agreement
also preserves important health benefits, by prohibiting fee
increases in TRICARE and the TRICARE pharmacy program and
creating new preventive health care initiatives to improve
the readiness of our force, keep service members and their
families healthy, and to reduce the overall need for
care.

“The war in Afghanistan is a critical mission
that demands greater attention. To better coordinate
military operations and achieve a unity of command whenever
possible, the agreement requires a report on the command and
control structure for military forces operating in
Afghanistan. The agreement also requires reporting on
enhancing security and stability in the Afghanistan-Pakistan
border region.

“For greater transparency and accountability,
the agreement places restrictions on the use of training and
reconstruction funds in Iraq and requires the Defense
Department to report to Congress on the details of any Status
of Forces Agreements that exist or are signed between the
U.S. and Iraq. The agreement also bans permanent U.S.
bases in Iraq and bans U.S. control over Iraqi oil.

“To jumpstart the interagency reform effort, the
agreement establishes a 12-member advisory panel, modeled
after the Defense Policy Board, to improve coordination among
the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) on matters
relating to national security. Controlled by and
reporting directly to the Secretaries, the advisory panel is
a tool to help agency leaders do a better job dealing with
interagency objectives.

“Since the Senate approved its version of the
defense authorization bill last week, House and Senate Armed
Services Committee members and staff have been working to
reach agreement so a bill can be considered by both houses
and sent to the President before Congress adjourns.
This is an excellent bill and I urge my colleagues in the
House and Senate to support the
agreement.”

A detailed summary of the agreement on the Duncan Hunter
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 is
available on the House Armed Services Committee web site
athttp://armedservices.house.gov/.